


Mini champagne bottle

by Startanewdream



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Muggle, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Dialogue-Only, F/M, First Meetings, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-12 09:40:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28633407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Startanewdream/pseuds/Startanewdream
Summary: Jily Muggle AU! Lily and James are neighbours who have a knowledge of each other based on their shared windows... and shared trash can.
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter
Comments: 6
Kudos: 26





	Mini champagne bottle

**Author's Note:**

> Just a short Muggle AU Jily drabble loosely based on the chronicle “O lixo” (”Trashbag”) by Luis Fernando Veríssimo. Dialogues only and, if it gets confused, Lily begins talking :)

(They meet in the street, in front of their respective houses, each one carrying its own trash bag for their shared trash can. They’ve never met before)

‘Night’.

‘Good night’.

‘So you are the mysterious man who lives next door! I never saw you before’.

‘I travel a lot for work, so -’

‘You’ve been back since last week, right?’

‘How do you know?’

‘There’s been a party every day in the last seven days’.

‘Sorry, my friends are a bit loud’.

‘No, it is fine. Here is always so quiet sometimes that a bit of diversion was welcomed. You have good taste in music and there weren’t many people anyway’.

‘It’s just they hadn’t seen me in months and they apparently decided to show me how much they missed me’.

‘It’s good, having real friends’.

‘You...’

‘Oh, I just moved here, my old friends are back in London, so I only see them on weekends’.

‘Well, if during weekdays you want some company, just knock on my door. I’m always home... and except for the noise, I swear my friends are very nice people’.

‘I can see that. Or hear anyway. You are funny. Sorry if I seem too nosy... it’s just the window of my bedroom faces your living room, so -’

‘Don’t tell me you’ve been hearing -’

‘Yeah, that friend of yours needs to improve his puns. I’ve heard all the dog jokes there are in the world’.

‘Sirius is the worst, I know’.

‘Serious?’

‘No, Sirius, that’s his name. Like the star, or so he tells me. I’m James, by the way’.

‘Lily’.

‘Oh, a bit ironic’.

‘What?’

‘Nothing, it’s just... don’t be mad or think I’m a stalker, it’s just I’ve seen your trash bag - I think it’s yours, you’re the only one that shares the trash can with me - and I noticed a bouquet of lilies and I thought who would throw them away, they looked so fresh’.

‘Oh. Yes, my ex sent me'.

‘Boyfriend?’

‘No, worse, ex- _friend_. He is trying to get to my good graces again as if sending me lilies is so creative, so original’.

‘Ex-friend? I never had one ex-friend’

‘Lucky you. It’s worse than breaking up with a boyfriend, trust me’.

‘But... are you ok? If he is bothering you...’

‘No, thanks, I can handle Snape. He’ll get the message eventually’.

‘Still, if you ever need help, just -’

‘Knock on your door, noted’.

‘That’s right’.

‘Since you mentioned the trash, I couldn’t help but notice... You are an athlete?’

‘Yes, how do you -’

‘Well, you mentioned that you travel a lot, and you don’t look like a businessman... no offense’.

‘I am flattered, actually’.

‘And I saw an envelope on the bin from the Olympic Committee, so... That was my guess’.

‘Can you keep a secret?’

‘Of course. Crossing my heart, see?’

‘I’ve been invited to represent England in the next Olympic Games’.

‘Wow, congratulations! What’s your sport?’

‘Sailing’.

‘Man of the sea?’

‘More like man of the wind, actually’.

‘That’s really nice. And all this time I didn’t know I was talking to an Olympic Athlete. Aren’t you some kind of celebrity?’

‘That would be the ones in football, I think. And anyway, look who is talking’.

‘What do you mean?’

‘I saw the newspapers you threw away a couple of days ago. There was your photo on them’.

‘It was nothing, really -’

‘The news mentioned the Royal Society. They don’t give awards without a reason’.

‘It’s just my research that is going really well, but, you know, just doing my job’.

‘You must be very good at it. But what I don’t know is... why did you throw them away? You looked beautiful in the photo, not that you aren’t in real life, it’s just -’.

‘I think you’re kidding, but thanks. It was just old records. And... my ex-best friend is in them and I don’t want any recollection, so...’

‘That bad break up, huh? Are you sure you two never-’

‘No, no, there was never anything romantic between me and Sev, what an idea’.

‘So you are single’.

‘What gives you the idea?’

‘I’m not judging, but you buy mini champagne bottles’.

‘Maybe I and my super boyfriend just drink a little... Ok, who am I kidding? You got me. I’m all alone here’.

‘Why do you live here? Not that I’m complaining, but -’

‘The official answer is that here is closer to my job, but, really, it was this or living with my sister’.

‘The one who is getting married?’

‘How did you... oh, you saw the wedding invitation’.

‘Yeah, it was shining golden, so I couldn’t _not_ look’.

‘It was ghastly'.

‘No wonder you threw it away’.

‘That, and the fact I and my sister don’t get along, I don’t even know why she invited me... Well, so that’s it, that’s why I live here. It is a nice neighbourhood’.

‘Nice indeed. Pretty. Very charming’.

‘Did you meet anyone else besides me?’

‘No’.

‘And you are basing your opinion on one neighbour you’ve just met?’

‘Well, I wasn’t talking specifically about the neighbourhood’.

‘Oh’.

‘Besides, I feel like we know each other a little already. We’ve seen each other’s trash’.

‘Indeed. So I know you are an athlete, you really like to party with your friends, you prefer white wine and you eat a lot of chocolate’.

‘That’s my friend Remus. He keeps me stocked with chocolate. Won’t complain’.

‘Best kind of friend’.

‘You like chocolate too. You threw a lot of packages of cocoa powder on Monday’.

‘Yeah, I like to bake when I’m bored. My pies are excellent, I’ll let you know’.

‘Judging by the apple cores in your trash, you were baking before you left?’

‘Yeah, my apple tarts are in the oven. In fact, I think I probably should go back’.

‘Oh. Yes, of course. I supposed I should too, my friends...’

‘Yeah, they’ll be waiting for you’.

‘As I said, they are needy’.

‘Now try saying it like you don’t like it’.

‘Can’t. I love them, they are really like my family’.

‘That’s nice... And I noticed it’s three guys, right?’

‘Yeah, Sirius, Remus, and Peter’.

‘So... no girlfriend? I mean, _girl_ friend, not that...’

‘No, no. I am... all alone here too, at least when they are not around’.

‘I see... Well, that’s good to know. Not that you being alone is good, it’s just... I should get back’.

‘Won’t wanna burn those apple tarts. They were smelling really nice when I left’.

‘How -’

‘Your kitchen faces my bedroom. It’s tantalizing, I’ve got to say. I love apple tarts'.

‘Well, they are almost ready... and they are really something when they are hot, especially with champagne. So if you have more minutes to spare...’

‘Lily? This seems like a wonderful idea’.

‘Your friends...’

‘They can wait a few minutes. Or hours. Plus, they already have the key to my house anyway. There’s only one thing I need to get to my house before’.

‘What?’

‘A standard champagne bottle, if you don’t mind’.

‘James? It’s a wonderful idea’.

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoyed it, please let a comment with your thoughts!


End file.
